Linux Top 3:Ubuntu Roaring, RMS Not Impressed

Linux Top 3:Ubuntu Roaring, RMS Not Impressed

December 10, 2012

Linux is all about choices. More often then not there are those that disagree with some of those choices.

1) Stallman vs. Ubuntu.

Ubuntu 12.10 includes features that are supposed to make it easier for users to find the stuff they want. One example is the Amazon integration which helps users by showing them stuff they might want if they are searching. According to Free Software Foundation (FSF) Founder Richard Stallman (RMS), Ubuntu is actually 'spying' on users.

"When the user searches her own local files for a string using the Ubuntu desktop, Ubuntu sends that string to one of Canonical's servers," Stallman wrote.

In Stallman's view this is happening without user consent, even though there is the clear option for any user to simply turn the 'feature' off.

"Even if it were disabled by default, the feature would still be dangerous: "opt in, once and for all" for a risky practice, where the risk varies depending on details, invites carelessness," Stallman stated. "To protect users' privacy, systems should make prudence easy: when a local search program has a network search feature, it should be up to the user to choose network search explicitly each time."

Going a step further, Stallman wants Free Software advocates to avoid Ubuntu all together now, and not install or recommend it to others.

2) Ubuntu 13.04

While RMS might not be rushing to try out the latest version of Ubuntu, many others likely still are.

This past week the first Alpha for what will become Ubuntu 13.04, the Raring Ringtail was officially released. The Alpha though is only available with Kubuntu and Edubuntu images for now.

"At the end of the 12.10 development cycle, the Ubuntu flavour decided that it would reduce the number of milestone images going forward and the focus would concentrate on daily quality and fortnightly testing rounds known as cadence testing," Ubuntu developers Stephane Graber wrote in a mailing list posting. "Based on that change, The Ubuntu product itself will not have an Alpha-1 release."

Grabe added that the first milestone release for Ubuntu 13.04 will be the Final Beta, set for release on March 28th, 2013.

3) Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4

Red Hat is also busy working on its next generation of Linux. This past week, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4 (RHEL) was released, providing new virtualization and Microsoft interoperability features.

On the interoperability side the System Security Services Daemon (SSSD) has been enhanced to work with Microsoft Active Directory. Support for Microsoft Hyper-v virtualization has also been extended.

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.